“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them” (John 17:6-10, NIV).
Are you familiar with the plant called “Mimosa Pudica”? (Show the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq3UuHlPLQU)
It has various names in English: “touch me not plant,” “shy plant,” “sleepy plant,” “sensitive plant,” “humble plant,” “shame plant,” etc.
When I was a young child, that plant was familiar in our place and it was a source of my amazement and glee. Every time you touched it, it would not fail to respond by closing its leaves.
Do we also realize that we will not fail to respond when God will do something in our life?
So, let us highlight this time some ways that we would be… RESPONDING TO WHAT GOD HAS DONE …. which is also the title of my message, as we study the portion of the prayer of Jesus in John 17:6-10.
So, what should be our response to what God has done to us? And before we answer that, first we need to find out what He has really done. Are we aware and do we even value what He did or what He is doing in our life?
Before we proceed, let’s be reminded that the prayer of Jesus in John 17 was recorded by John, who described himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7 & 20). And this prayer was uttered by Jesus before His private prayer in the place of Gethsemane.
In verses 1 to 5 of John 17, we noted that it was the prayer of Jesus for Himself. And we learned before from those verses at least three lessons.
First, we have eternal life; second, we have the knowledge of the true God; and third, we ought to glorify God.
And in our text, starting verse 6 up to verse 10, we noted at least three things we should be doing in response to what God has done to us. What are those responses?
First, OBEYING (verse 6).
We read in verse 6, “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.”
Take note what Jesus said in the last part of the verse, “…you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.”
First, what did God the Father do to those special people?
He gave them to the Son. And Jesus would like His disciples to realize that from the multitude of people in the world, they were chosen to be given to the Son. They needed to understand that they came to Jesus not because of their own initial choice. They drew near to Him not because they were tender hearted, or they were submissive, or there was any good thing in them. But God the Father gave them to Him.
And what was the response of – actually, the effect to – those persons given by the Father to Jesus?
Jesus said, “…they have obeyed your word.” They became obedient. And they obeyed not the persuasive words of men, not the majority of people, not their own feelings, not their own reason. They obeyed the Word of God.
Today, true followers of Christ should also realize that they became to be so, because God the Father had given them to the Son. They should not entertain the idea that they were given by the Father to Jesus, because they had followed Him.
Jesus said in the first part of John 6:44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,…” It was so important that He also said in verse 65, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
But, will everyone given by the Father to the Son comes to Him?
Notice carefully the words of Jesus in verse 37, “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”
If all the persons whom the Father gives to Jesus will come to Him, then it shows that not everyone in the world is given by God the Father to the Son. Because we see not everyone comes to Jesus. Not everyone is obeying.
For all those who come to Jesus, He will never drive away. And their tendency is to obey.
And that also explains why there will be people in this planet who will find it very hard to obey the Word of God. That shows us why there are people who regard the commandment of God burdensome. They are not given by the Father to the Son.
God has not enabled them to come to Jesus. He has not worked in them to will and to act according to His good purpose.
But the people whom the Father gave to the Son – being referred in John 10 as the “sheep” – according to Jesus, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). In other words, they obey.
How about us, saints, – do we consider ourselves given or have been drawn by God to Jesus? Do we acknowledge that Sovereign grace extended to us by the Heavenly Father, as we realize our helplessness to come to Jesus by our own selves?
And are we aware that while God the Father gave us to the Son, there are people, according to Romans 1, that “God gave them over” or in the ESV translation, “God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity” (verse 24), “God gave them up to dishonorable passion” (verse 26), and “God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done” (verse 28)?
Do we grasp the extent of mercy that the Heavenly Father manifested to us, as He gave us to Jesus? Because of such grace, not only we are forgiven of all our sins and cloth with His righteousness, but we are able to have pure desire in our hearts, we are able to have an honorable or godly passion, and we are able to have a renewed mind to do what ought to be done.
If we are given by the Father to His Son, then, our life ought to be characterized by obedience to His Word. Though we could not do it perfectly, but our tendency or inclination is always to obey His Word, obeying His command like to love Him more than anything or anyone else, to love even our unlovable neighbors, meditate on His Word day and night, to talk to Him at all times, rejoice in the Lord always – not in gadgets, not in convenience, not in leisure or worldly pleasure. We will obey to accomplish His glorious mission – to share His pure Word as God enabled us with anyone wherever he is.
What is our another response to what God has done?
Second, BELIEVING (verse 8).
We read in verse 8, “For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.”
Consider again what God or, specifically, the Son of God -- Christ had done. He gave the persons whom the Father gave to Him the Word of God. Though the words of God through Jesus were heard by everyone in His time, Jesus pointed out that the message was not really directed to everyone.
Truly, God gave His Word. But it is primarily for a particular kind of people. Just like the seed that you would not intentionally sow on a pathway, on a rocky places, or among thorns. But you will sow it on good soil.
And notice the response of those who were given the Word. Initially, they accepted it and finally, they believed.
Jesus would like His followers to grasp that God’s word was given to them and they were expected to respond by believing.
A follower of Christ should really treasure that he has the written Word – the Bible. It’s not just an accident that he has an access to it. Its Divine Author wants him to have it. It’s like he has a father, who is a king, in a far and foreign country. Since birth he had not seen his father personally and no contact with him. Then, His father wrote him a letter, specifically addressed to him. What joy that child could experience as he read about the goodness and greatness of his father, the grandeur of his kingdom and hope of joining his father one day.
God’s children have also a divine letter from their Heavenly Father. They should be excited to read it – the Bible. Read it again and again.
For other persons who read it, it’s not wholly acceptable. Others even consider it just foolishness. But for those who are being saved, they find a sense of power in its message. It’s like a two-edged sword. It’s like a fire and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces.
So, the intended recipients of the Word really believe.
How about us, saints, – do we really realize and treasure what our Heavenly Father had done -- in making His Word available to us?
If so, invest our time in reading, studying and meditating on His Word. We should not recoil in the idea of reading the whole Bible. Would it be okay for us just to read a portion of a letter from the one we loved? And should we be satisfied just to read it once? No lover on earth could be at par with our Loving Heavenly Father. We should be more thrilled to read His written Word.
We should be excited to come where His Word is rightly expounded. We should not tolerate and just accept when the message of our Heavenly Father is distorted.
And as we realize the powerful truth in the Word of God, let us base our belief on it. We should not hesitate to believe all its declarations. Not just a part of them. Not just those that are convenient and acceptable to human reasoning.
We should believe not only its promises. We should also believe its command.
We should believe not only in loving Him more than anything or anyone else, but we should believe His command in loving our unlovable neighbors.
We should believe not that we can have forgiveness in Him, but we can also find have exceeding joy in His Word.
And, finally, what is our response to what God has done?
Third, GLORIFYING (verses 9-10).
We read in verse 9-10, “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.”
What great encouragement His disciples felt to know that Jesus, the Messiah, was praying for them! And their spirit was highly lifted up to realize that their Lord was praying particularly for them and not for everyone in the world!
Before Jesus was arrested and be crucified, He left His disciples God’s Word and His prayer also to encourage them.
As He prayed, He pointed out His expectation for them. Notice the last part of verse 10, “And glory has come to me through them.”
As Jesus expressed His preference for His disciples in praying for them and not for others in the world, He would like also for them to understand that they were special also in the sense that they would be doing something special. That their life would bring glory to Jesus. They would glorify God, while the rest of the people in world will be happy glorifying in their own selves or other things.
Even true believers today should be so encouraged that their Savior was also praying for them. In verse 20 of John 17, Jesus said: “My prayer is not for them (for the 11 disciples) alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message.”
But believers should not only feel that they are special in the eyes of Jesus in that way. They should not also forget the special life style that they ought to portray – glorifying God. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
Not only the glorious things we accomplish in our life, but even the ordinary or insignificant things, or whatever we do, Paul said: “Do it all for the glory of God.”
And through the example of Jesus, believers could also learn how they could glorify God. In verse 4 of John 17, Jesus told His Father: “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.”
Jesus was willing and ready to glorify God even at the expense of His horrible sacrifice and death. He intended to glorify God, not just to initiate or start the work, but to really finish it. Also, John noted that in glorifying the Father, Jesus did not claim that the work is just of His own choice. But, it was given to Him by the Father.
So, believers ought to glorify God not only in comfort, convenience, or good times, but also in difficulties. They should not just initiate the work, but really finish it. And they should not just choose the kind of work they like, but the one made available for them by God.
How about us, saints, – is our human spirit lifted up by the special treatment that the King of kings had done -- praying for us, while He is not praying for the other people in the world? Do we feel joyful, grateful, special that our Savior is also interceding for us?
But, do we also feel joyful, grateful that we have special task to perform – glorifying God? Do we live in this world for the glory of God? Do we think, plan, dream, study, work for His glory?
Do we find employment, do we spend or save, because it’s for His glory?
Do we exercise and eat nutritious food just for the glory of good health, or for the glory of God who gave and dwelt in our body?
Do we try to improve our appearance to promote the glory of our beauty or of our handsome appearance, or so we could direct others to behold the glory of Jesus?
Brothers and sister, we are here not to make ourselves, or anything or anyone special or glorious. God has already make us special, in fact holy in His sight. We are here to make Him supremely special, glorious in our life and in the eyes of others.
In closing, not everyone will be able to be obeying, believing and glorifying God. Not everyone will be motivated to do so. Not everyone will have the desire to do so. And not everyone will have the human ability to do so.
It is only possible when the Sovereign God will decide and do something in the life of the person. When God will give you to Jesus, give you His Word and pray for you, it will be your natural response to obey, to believe and to glorify God.
Surely, we ought to praise Him for extending to us His mercy that we are able to experience His grace and have the grace to respond.
